Mother and daughter Sylvie Henry and Danielle Leslie, who have both suffered breast cancer, have set up a charity to help defeat the disease.
Mrs Leslie, a full-time mother-of-three, is currently clear of cancer, while Mrs Henry, 60, was recently diagnosed with incurable lung cancer.
Determined to raise money for future research, the pair — former professional dancers — have established Future Dreams, a charity that will fund a selection of cancer projects. Their first fundraiser is a star-studded one-off London West End variety show, For One Night Only, with proceeds going to Breakthrough Breast Cancer. Denise van Outen, Patrick Kielty and Christopher Biggins are among those who have agreed to take part.
“It is very exciting to use our backgrounds to be able to do something positive for the future generations,” Mrs Henry tells People. “It’s been amazing and helped keep my mind focused on other things.”
Mrs Henry was diagnosed with breast cancer 17 years ago. She was running her own dance school at the time. She underwent chemotherapy and a took a long time to recover, but continued to work. In 2005, Mrs Leslie, now 38, had her own diagnosis of breast cancer. She says: “We always said that when I finished my treatment we would do something to raise money for cancer research. So when mum was diagnosed with lung cancer in October 2007, I decided it was time.
“Having seen the devastation that breast cancer can cause, there can be no greater motivation than to think that by the time my daughter reaches 35, we will have the funding to beat this disease.”
The pair, who live in North London, are hoping raise more than £250,000 from the performance, which will feature a cast of 30 children. It takes place at the Savoy Theatre in London on November 9.
